Am I being unwoke?

Thank you all for your replies.
I don’t have a problem with doing the training, I have undertaken similar when I was working. It’s the financial aspect and the true values of the charity that I am questioning. However, as some have said, it may be that some funding or grant is subject to them carrying out this training. I will continue volunteering with them for the time being but will be asking questions about why this training has come about.

What a waste of money and so unnecessary. I would never knowingly support any charity investing in such woke nonsense.

aggie

I’m duolingoing French at the moment ! Everything is male or female ! Not an easy thing to get used to in these times !

Try German. Everything is masculine, feminine or neuter.,

What qualifications do the people who run these courses have? Who decides on the rules, and how do we know that they are not racialist, homophobic etc. themselves?

Why not do the course and then make the decision

The training will almost certainly be free to the charity.

At Our Age… we are already one of two things - we’re either woke or not.

You’re either raised, educated and embrace one way of thinking… or the other. Don’t imagine too many will be changing at this point in our lives. What the heck is “woke” anyway??? You’re either In or Out, you’re either Good or Bad…? It’s so ridiculous.

There are politicians (especially in my country) who throw around the word Woke in every other sentence… like they are the knowledgeable ones and you’d better listen to me! They are absolute idiots!! Shallow thinkers who are trying to gain attention of their political base and stir up fear - also a bunch of losers.

This is a phase of vaudeville that will die out. In the end acceptance and inclusivity will continue to grow organically and become the norm of the future. It’s on a good track, let’s not snuff it out by being stupid.
USA Gundy

I ve worked for the same charity for 9 years and the only training I ve ever done is an online lifting advise course annually takes about 15 minutes
The cat identity thing is a load of rubbish and I m afraid they should have a saucer of milk for their lunch

It might be an irritating lecture type course or it might be something that the Charity has identified really needs to be addressed in its 100+ volunteers.

That’s a lot of volunteers, all with their own opinions and assumptions and their ways of dealing with people. The Charity needs to make sure that all their clients are dealt with sensitively and fairly by volunteers they come into contact with.

Amongst the unconscious bias that I ( and many of us here) have experienced would be

Being female
Being older
Being single
Being disabled
Being ill
Accent
Appearance
Family circumstances

If like to think people were willing to explore their possible unconscious bias and the way it affects how they interact with others.

Musicgirl

I.think most of us were brought up at a time when we were told that the feelings of others were paramount and always had to be considered all times. Politeness and good manners were seen as vital and surely most of us try to adhere to this principle. I am sure everyone is guilty of unconscious bias at some point or another but, I hope, try to rectify it once we realise this.
I do think that the world has gone mad with the woke agenda that is being forced on us at every turn. As ever, the minority are intolerant of the majority who are told that they/we are intolerant, even though we are trying our best. Take the self-identification moment and the two thirteen year olds who were shouted at by their teacher for not recognising another member of the class as the cat they were self-identifying as. Apparently, self-identifying as a cat is becoming quite a trend. Only yesterday, a pupil who had just finished A levels told me that several students at her sixth form college identify in this way and when their names are read out in the register acknowledge themselves with miaow! Madness.

Take the self-identification moment and the two thirteen year olds who were shouted at by their teacher for not recognising another member of the class as the cat they were self-identifying as. Apparently, self-identifying as a cat is becoming quite a trend. Only yesterday, a pupil who had just finished A levels told me that several students at her sixth form college identify in this way and when their names are read out in the register acknowledge themselves with miaow! Madness.

I wonder if the cat-identifiers have transitioned sufficiently to enjoy a bowl of Whiskas-Fish-in-Jelly with a side of kibble in the corner of the kitchen when they're hungry, or if they only identify to the point where they can seek attention / annoy their teachers, and be part of a trend?

I'm not going to respond to anyone who meows at me in reply to a question... I shall identify as someone who doesn't tolerate deliberate provocation and silliness...

One can have an affinity with cats - dogs, all animals, commune with nature and be transfixed by a new moon, but this is just ridiculous and anyone who encourages it needs to give their head a wobble.

I'd unvolunteer if they imposed Equality and Inclusivity training on me. It's not needed and wasting time and money on it is a travesty especially as such training only provokes and antipathy towards its goal

It sounds like the charity is covering it's back. I'm sure they don't want to spend the money on the training either but it would cost them far more if someone sued them. This forced spending of precious budgets has been going on for years....ever since we morphed into a litigation society. When I was teaching (over a decade ago) we had to spend part of our precious budget on foam and fluorescent tape. The foam was to protect any child who bumped into the metal fence and the tape was wrapped around tree trunks at child face height to ensure that they could be seen and no child ran into them. In the whole time I worked at that school no child had ever run into a tree or been hurt by the fence. Even the children queried it and decided it was stupid. But we had to do it in case one child hit the fence or the tree because it would have left the school open to negligence litigation if we hadn't.

I certainly wouldn't have anything to do with any of it - totally absurd.

You’re probably right there knspol. It’s all about appearances and covering backsides , more so than in th3 past. I worked with and trained volunteers for over 20 years and most of the training was about listening well and confidentiality in those days . Plus not being judgemental. I would never, ever talk down to my wonderful volunteers. Many of them were highly trained professionals, medical and other who knew far more about their field than I did.

If I was told to go on a course like that, well I would not be volunteering any longer. How patronising can they get? Every single human being on the planet has unconscious biases, and these courses are a complete waste of time and money that would be better spent on helping whichever group of people the charity is concerned with. Anyone who asks for my pronouns is likely to get a very short answer - I do not do woke.

I think these type of training courses are routine for most businesses and they're something all volunteers will eventually be asked to undertake whatever charity we volunteer with. This way if a problem develops the people in charge can say they sent everybody on a course so there can be no blame attributed to the business.

TBH I can’t imagine that the sort of ‘tick box’ training we had to do, would have done anything at all to alter the mindset of anyone with ingrained prejudices.

I dare say much better courses do exist.

Musicgirls you posted before I did but with the same mindset.

Thank you Hi there
The course it not all about how or why we should all be inclusive. It is more to do with us asking how a person wishes to be addressed and how they see themself before we presume something different. It is a minefield to be honest and some of it, is for most of us very difficult to get our heads around. Some will say it is just common sense and kindness but I goes way beyond that. Look at the teachers in schools how they are struggling, even in nurseries now. It gets more and more complicated each day as we go on. We did our course on line so apart from the tutor fee there was no expense involved. Is that what you will be doing Nandad?

I.think most of us were brought up at a time when we were told that the feelings of others were paramount and always had to be considered all times. Politeness and good manners were seen as vital and surely most of us try to adhere to this principle. I am sure everyone is guilty of unconscious bias at some point or another but, I hope, try to rectify it once we realise this.
I do think that the world has gone mad with the woke agenda that is being forced on us at every turn. As ever, the minority are intolerant of the majority who are told that they/we are intolerant, even though we are trying our best. Take the self-identification moment and the two thirteen year olds who were shouted at by their teacher for not recognising another member of the class as the cat they were self-identifying as. Apparently, self-identifying as a cat is becoming quite a trend. Only yesterday, a pupil who had just finished A levels told me that several students at her sixth form college identify in this way and when their names are read out in the register acknowledge themselves with miaow! Madness.

It is often necessary for charities to ensure training for their staff and volunteers in order to receive some of the grants, allowances, etc they apply for - therefore it probably has been costed into grant applications

Great posts Dickens. "It appears not to be recognised that many of us are actually living a life which is already inclusive and diverse!" exactly.

aggie

I always think of ‘ they ‘ as plural , as I was taught, it isn’t that easy .
Anyway I would use a persons name most of the time ,
It’s easier to say

That’s my problem: my brain can’t visualise one person as ‘they’. And I’m sure my mum used to refer to the use of ‘they’ as being rude ie ‘who’s ‘they’, the cat’s mother’? I think young people can grasp the concept easier: I’ll ask my grandsons.

I think it can all be useful - you don't know until you attend.
I agree that simply being part of a diverse family or team doesn't necessarily mean that you are 'inclusive'. No-one is perfect - not you, your team, management, or the course tutors. I assume everyone is doing their best.
You don't say the nature of the course; it may be that you have something to offer that will help other attendees.

As to how well the money is spent, well you, other volunteers & donors must make up your own minds. I only donate to charities that I think are effective & efficient (whilst recognising that no-one's perfect!)

I think that attending the course is different from some folk adding their pronouns to their emails & information. Personally, I welcome it - there are many names (my own given name included) that don't indicate gender / preferred form of address.

And my school taught us 60+ years ago, to use 'they' if we did not know someone's sex / gender. I think it had a 'political' element - in those days, not making assumptions that all bosses / professionals were male. So we were encouraged to say "The doctor is arriving today. I don't know what time they will arrive".

NanaDana

Well said, Dickens. In my own case, I have a Daughter who is very happily married to a husband of West African origin, 2 gorgeous mixed race Grandchildren, plus a nephew with cerebral palsy, a cousin who is high on the Autism spectrum, and an openly gay and very happily married neighbour, who is also a dear friend, and has been for many years. I don't find this at all unusual, and suspect that many out there have a similar social mix amongst family and friends. I don't feel the need for some outside agency to tell me about the importance of Equality and Inclusivity. It's already a reality which is at the forefront of my daily life. I suspect that this also applies to many others. Real life is by far the best learning environment.

Quite NanaDana

It appears not to be recognised that many of us are actually living a life which is already inclusive and diverse!

Judging by posts on GN - the diversity of society is quite well understood, acknowledged... and being lived within the family environment.